Polysaccharides Flashcards
How are polysaccharides formed
the condensation of many monosaccharide units.
what are glycogen and starch formed by
the condensation of alpha glucose
how is cellulose formed
the condensation of beta glucose
role of glycogen
storage in animals (cells)
Role of starch
storage in plants (cells)
Role of cellulose
provides strength and rigidity to plant cell walls
properties of starch
insoluble
coiled into a helix
branched
large
use of starch and glycogen being insoluble
it doesn’t effect water potential and osmosis
use of starch coiled into a helix
compact so a lot can fit into a smaller space
use of starch and glycogen being branched
provides a large surface area for rapid hydrolysis by enzymes to form alpha glucose
use of starch and glycogen being a large molecule
doesn’t diffuse out of the cell
in what ways does glycogen differ to starch
shorter chains - more readily hydrolysed into glucose
more highly branched
large surface area
what has to happen to every other beta glucose molecule in a chain in cellulose.
flips to allow OH group on Carbon 1 and 4 to be adjacent form a glycosidic bond.
what bond holds the chains in cellulose together
hydrogen between OH groups in each layer.
What are microfibrils
hundreds of beta glucose chains held together by hydrogen bonds
